Geometry

Identifying Shapes by Attributes

Recognizing and drawing shapes with a given number of angles or faces.

Foundational15 min lesson2 min readUpdated August 12, 2026Author not yet attributed

Naming Shapes by What They Have

In Grade 1, you learned to tell shapes apart using their defining attributes, like the number of sides. This lesson uses those same defining attributes — now including angles and, for solid shapes, faces — to identify and even draw a shape from a description.

Definition — Angle and Face

An angle is the corner formed where two sides of a shape meet. A face is one of the flat surfaces of a three-dimensional shape, like one side of a cube.

A shape can be identified just from a description of its attributes. A shape with 3 sides and 3 angles must be a triangle. A shape with 6 flat faces, where every face is a square, must be a cube.

Worked Example — Naming a Flat Shape from Its Attributes

A shape has exactly 5 sides and 5 angles. What is it? A shape with exactly 5 sides is a pentagon.

Worked Example — Naming a Solid Shape from Its Attributes

A solid shape has 6 flat faces, and every face is the same size square. What is it? A solid shape made of 6 equal square faces is a cube.

Geometry Canvas

Point mode (click to add a point)LabelsMeasurementsSnap to grid

Construct

Tool

Objects

1.
Color
P1
P1: a free point, draggable on the plane
2.
Color
P2
P2: a free point, draggable on the plane
3.
Color
P3
P3: a free point, draggable on the plane
4.
Color
poly1
poly1: the polygon through P1, P2, P3

Measurements

poly1area = 15perimeter = 17.66

Tip

Count sides and angles together to double-check a shape's name — a flat shape always has the same number of angles as it has sides.

Common Mistakes

Confusing a flat shape's number of sides with a solid shape's number of faces, especially when both are drawn on paper.
A flat (two-dimensional) shape has sides and angles; a solid (three-dimensional) shape has faces. Check whether the shape is flat or solid before counting.
Naming a shape by its size or how it's drawn instead of counting its actual sides or faces.
Always count sides, angles, or faces directly rather than guessing a shape's name from its general appearance.

Key Takeaways

A shape can be named by counting its defining attributes, like its number of sides or faces.
An angle is a corner where two sides meet; a face is a flat surface of a solid shape.
Flat shapes have the same number of angles as sides.

Summary

Identifying shapes by their attributes builds directly on Grade 1's defining-attribute idea, now including angles and solid faces. The final lesson uses that same shape understanding to partition a rectangle into equal rows and columns.

Track your progress

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